interview by annette furio
photography by Angélica Brizuela Rodriguez
What is your name, business name, and where are you based?
My name is Angélica and I am the owner of Casa Briro. I’m based in Walla Walla, Washington, but I travel for most of my work. This past year, I photographed all along the West Coast, and even had the opportunity to go as far as Costa Rica, Hawai’i, and the Dominican Republic.
Tell us a little bit about how you started your business and how you got into the wedding industry.
I officially started my business in October 2022, but I’ve been taking photos since 2017. It began with taking my friend’s senior portraits. People were having their senior photos taken on a phone and I was thinking, “I can at least do better than that.” I started off offering portrait sessions for free just to get some practice, and I was always so happy that they were happily surprised by how they looked. They hadn’t seen themselves captured in a way they felt was true to them and made them feel beautiful at the same time. I started chasing that goal — having people surprised by how beautiful they felt in photos. I then photographed my first wedding and it was all word of mouth from there!
Do you have a mission, philosophy, or something you stand for in your business?
My tagline, “for joyful and compassionate love,” really resonates with me because I have somehow found the most joyful and generous people on this earth to have had the honor of capturing. It calls to specific groups, and I’ve loved capturing all these weddings full of emotion from not just the couple, but the crowd. There’s so much love in the air and I can’t believe I get to be a part of it all.
Do you feel like you have found your version of balance between your personal and business life?
I don’t think I’ve mastered this quite yet, but I’m looking to keep trying. I feel most productive in the evenings when people are starting to head to bed and the house gets quiet, so it’s hard for me to keep a good sleep schedule and avoid the task-focused nature that’s very comfortable for me to fall into. The older I get, the more I realize how important it is to make people feel loved by being fully present with them. I don’t want those close to me to feel like I’m too busy for them, so I want to get better at slowing down and not taking on too much. For now, I’m loving the growth of work, and getting to travel.
What do you hope to accomplish this wedding season with your business & working with couples?
I want to surprise every couple with something that they weren’t expecting — whether that be an Engagement Journal or Polaroids from their wedding — I love doing these small things for my couples and I hope they find it thoughtful and love it, too. I don't think it looks the same for each couple because each couple is unique. I want to provide a full experience they love — something that is truly enjoyable and less stressful for them so they feel excited to have booked with me.
How do you create your own unique experience for your couples?
For weddings, I love having meetings with the couple beforehand to know what THEY need for the wedding day. This isn’t about me getting something to better my portfolio, but to make sure I capture all their favorite people and all the moments from a very special day.
Some couples want to spend time getting portraits together during cocktail hour, and others want to spend more time mingling at the event. Having meetings beforehand to know just what’s important to them and what they’ll be most excited about seeing in their final gallery helps me feel like I can give them just what they’ll love.
What do you see your couples doing to create a wedding that is a true reflection of them?
One amazing example I still think about is a couple who were both teachers. They had both of their classroom’s students help serve their food at the wedding, and all the students were so excited to be a part of their teacher’s wedding. At the end of the whole wedding day, we all piled up in cars and got group photos in front of gorgeous mountains with everyone. It was so meaningful and you could tell how much the students loved them both. It was beautiful to see how much they wanted to be there.
Do you collaborate with others inside or outside of the wedding industry? What does this look like?
I feel like I’m pretty new to the industry, so I’m hoping this year I’ll get an opportunity to do that. I have collaborated with peers from my university which has been fun, and I’ll be trying to collaborate with others in the wedding industry this year!
Do you have any other creative outlets?
Yes! I loved the pottery classes I took, although I’m not very good at it. I want to get back into guitar, and I love being a barista around town. I’m working at a shop now that only serves single-origin espresso, and it changes every 10 days to showcase different roasters. Hopefully, I’ll keep getting better at latte art!
When or where do you feel most creative?
I feel creative in and around neighborhoods because it reminds me of a scene in feel-good teen movies. A simple walk around a neighborhood reminds me of summer and when life was simpler. It’s the random little normal moments when I feel most excited to create — when your kitchen is glowing just right from the afternoon sun or you’re doing laundry and it smells really good… mundane tasks that feel fun.
What is a piece of wisdom you would share with couples going through their engagement right now?
The engagement timeframe goes by so quickly. Many people put so much focus on the wedding day itself. But it’s all the things in the process that make it so exciting — going dress shopping, going cake tasting… slow down and recognize how cool it is that you get to decide on a cake flavor to share with your loved ones on the day. Each element is a destination — not just the wedding. Savor the little moments.
What is a piece of guidance you would share with other wedding professionals or small business owners — something you learned in your own experience?
Work hard to stop comparing yourself to others in the industry. I’ve seen such wholesome messaging around the idea that we as creatives are a community, not competitors, but I know it can still be easy to fall into the comparison trap.
While working, I’ve found that I do my best work when I keep perspective of how cool it is that I get to work with clients that trust me with some of their most important milestones. It helps me perform better and enjoy the place I'm at in my business instead of thinking I’ll be happy when I reach my next goal.
About Angélica
Angélica is a West Coast wedding photographer living in Washington State with her cat, coco. Having a deep love for travel, her packages make easy to get her where you need, with no hidden fees. Focusing on joyful and compassionate imagery, her work captures just what couples value most, and leaves them feeling seen and loved.
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